McLaren Dominates FP2 at Imola Grand Prix
Imola, Italy – McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris secured the top two positions in the second practice session for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, reinforcing their strong start to the 2025 season. Piastri clocked a fastest lap of 1m15.293s, just 0.025 seconds ahead of his teammate Norris, as both drivers showcased their car’s capabilities in fluctuating conditions.
The session began with Norris setting the pace on medium tires with a time of 1m16.074s, later improved upon by Carlos Sainz of Williams. After approximately twenty minutes, teams switched to Pirelli’s C6 soft tires, with George Russell dipping below the previous year’s pole time at 1m15.693s before Piastri eclipsed it to claim the provisional lead.
Despite attempts to improve, Norris, though quickest in sector two, could not surpass Piastri’s benchmark. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly emerged as an unexpected contender, finishing third, while Russell ended the session in fourth.
Defending champion Max Verstappen showed signs of recovery from a challenging FP1, finishing fifth, but still trailed the McLarens by over four tenths. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, sixth, expressed concerns over the team’s performance in key corners, indicating ongoing struggles.
Rookie Isack Hadjar faced a setback with a late-off at Turn 1, bringing out a red flag for a brief intermission. The session concluded with Yuki Tsunoda in eighth, followed by Williams duo Sainz and Alex Albon rounding out the top ten. Lewis Hamilton faced brake issues, finishing eleventh.
FP2 Results Summary:
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1m15.293s
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.025s
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +0.123s
- George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.400s
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.485s
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.527s
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – +0.674s
- Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) – +0.779s
- Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +0.799s
- Alex Albon (Williams) – +0.834s
The ongoing developments indicate McLaren’s formidable form as they head into qualifying, with other teams on notice as they seek to challenge their dominance.
